City of Dust
by Greykeys
Summary: She sleeps encased in ice on her throne, her crown now a source of the modern city's energy - Dust. Ruby believes her to be a tragic hero; Yang couldn't care less. When Blake takes it to rid the city of its twisted fate, Weiss no longer slumbers. AU.
1. White Throne

It's cold. Freezing, really. Was this place actually a popular tourist spot?

"As you can see, ice makes up the entire White Palace. Its large support pillars as well as its walls, floors, and ceiling, are made completely of frozen water. It provides the palace's beautiful crystal-like look, as well as its incredible durability and thickness, which makes the White Palace a perfect home for the princess of ice."

Ruby can't help but listen attentively as the guide ushers her group around the crystalline columns.

The main hall was beautiful - _so, so beautiful - _that it manages to mesmerize even her bouncy - can't keep still even for _her_ - older sister.

"Wow," Yang comments quietly, once the other group of tourists move on to another station, "it's actually pretty cool. Besides the freezing temperature being totally below 30 degrees, but y'know, it's still cool - if you catch my drift."

Ruby merely lets the laughter lines meet her lips.

"Yeah, I get it. Cool."

When they head back for the group, Ruby's hand tracing the lines of the icy pillar lingeringly, they realize the guide has led them further down the sanctuary. Ruby can't help but continue to muse her astonishment aloud, still impressed with the crystalline appearance as she passes through the many support columns on each side of her.

Yang only grunts in response to the lack of traction on the frozen floor.

Ruby pulls her cloak even tighter around herself as they get closer, the room getting even colder as they trudge deeper into the inner sanctuary. Yang merely zips up her jacket as the guide's voice echoes once again through the hall.

"And on the frozen throne sits the ice princess, her figure completely immersed in ice. As of today, she has slept for 1000 years, her slumber bringing about energy to the city of Beacon." Ruby lets slip an _'oh, wow...'_ as she gazes up at the crystallized figure, the throne perched up at the top of the icy staircase. "The crown above her head is where her energy seeps through, and has been termed as 'Dust', supplying our city with electricity, power, and even fuel, for everyday life."

The crown has been linked to various silver wires that ran across the walls of ice, glowing in a variety of colours as a result of the Dust running through. Oddly enough, it's the only thing that hasn't been frozen over.

The group of tourists gather around the bottom of the staircase, unable to go up any further for potential risks of damaging the source of the city's energy.

"How did she get like this?" Ruby probes almost meekly, having struggled to raise her hand out of fear of stuttering. "Being frozen on a throne asleep for years, was it intentional?"

It wasn't like Ruby was questioning the validity of the situation, but rather it was because it was like a fairy tale. And just like any other book she has read, she wants to take in every detail.

Professor Ozpin, as he preferred to be called, glances infinitesimally at the group before taking a sip of his black coffee. Ruby waits patiently in anticipation, watching almost painfully as he lowers his cup, the action too slow for her taste.

"Legend says that the princess was perfect. Too perfect, that the other kingdoms - Ifrit of Fire, Titan of Earth, Bahamut of Air, and Leviathan of Water - were worried that the Goddess Shiva of Ice, had broken their promise of equality. Each deity, as has been told through myth - which I'm sure most of you have already learned from school - had taken oath to bear fruit of their respective elements, but in equal amounts of power so as to not break peace in the world."

Ozpin nonchalantly takes another sip of his drink, pausing so the silence that follows his words will reign over the room. Ruby can't believe he even bothers to stop to drink at all! Like really, is that how he tells stories to his children? _If he has any, _Ruby scowls childishly.

She relaxes instantly when he brings it down from his lips, feeling excited for more, before she sees him bring it up again as if knowingly chiding Ruby for being too absorbed with fairy tales.

To her credit, she wills herself not to whine as Yang pats her tenderly on the shoulder. Her sister definitely understood.

"Of course," Ozpin starts again, _finally._ "The kingdoms of other Gods - like Ixion of Lightning and Odin of Justice - did not feel the same as the majority, but because they were part of the minority, they could not do anything of what was to come." The professor continues steadily, shifting slightly closer to the staircase, cane in one hand. "The princess of ice had been lured into what seemed like a grand party at the Flame Palace, only to discover a foreboding letter when she intercepted a communication line between the descendants of fire, earth, air, and water. A rookie palace guard from the kingdom of Odin had mistaken her for the descendant of water and had given her the letter of confirmation stating the destruction of the White Palace."

Ruby doesn't even realize she's holding her breath from all the suspense until Yang brings her back with a hard slap on the back. Ozpin merely spares her a critical glance when Ruby gasps at the shock of air coming into her lungs before he continues on, not responding to the girl's shy, apologetic grin.

"When she returned, her palace was crumbling, and the last knight standing had turned against her, believing that destroying the people was what she had intended all along, the party at Flame Palace a way of avoiding the people of Shiva. She had no choice but to relieve him of what she knew was more to come, receiving a scar on her left eye as a reminder of failing her people."

Ruby crinkles her brows as she eyes the frozen figure, noting the scar as a faint line of beige on her left eye.

"And so, when she reached the top of the staircase, standing in front of her throne with her pursuers behind her, she froze the entire palace with a circle of symbols glowing beneath her feet. Those pursuers became the large pillars you see now for the White Palace."

"So she used them as a replacement for the foundation and support of the White Palace?" Ruby exclaims almost childishly, her eyes gleaming with evident glee at grasping the story so quickly.

Ozpin merely smiles at the obvious love for tales Ruby can't help but show as he hums in agreement.

"Yes, which explains the odd formation and lack of order in which the pillars are placed. They are clearly unaligned, structured unevenly around the main sanctuary, showing how far the pursuers have actually gone to reach the ice princess. As you can see, not one had managed to get close to the stairs that led to the throne."

Ruby couldn't contain her appreciation any longer.

"That's so AWESOME!"

"Sis..." Yang mutters amiably, having winced at the volume of Ruby's voice. It practically echoed along the walls of the palace.

Ruby's drive for the story counters her embarrassment for her outburst, slewing on with a mouth operating faster than it normally would.

"So was the scar basically a sort of memento for the princess to remember the pain her people went through rather than just a scar from a battle? I mean, I know you totally just said that, but did she herself know that? Was there really no other way for her to keep from killing the last knight? Why is she also frozen? Was that her happy ending? Did no other kingdom - from the minority of course, or unless some of the other kingdoms felt bad and everything - consider the consequences and tried to right what went wrong? How did everything go with the supposed peace between the kingdoms after Shiva's kingdom was destroyed?"

She practically spews, surprisingly not coming out breathless despite the lack of pauses during her spree of questions. Yang merely cringes for her when Ozpin stares rather amusedly at the shorter girl as he brings the cup to his lips once again as his response.

Ruby merely pouts from where she stands.

"She encased the entire palace in ice," Ozpin begins, tapping his finger lightly against the cup. "Made the temperature of her kingdom drop significantly, and chose to slumber in her element because she knew they would continue to come after her if she didn't."

Yang raises a gloved hand, scratching her cheek with a finger when acknowledged.

"But what about the kingdom of fire? Couldn't they just burn their way through?" Yang probes lightly, surprising herself for having stayed awake the whole time - or at least, for the most part - to ask something actually related to the topic.

The professor nods sagely in agreement.

"You're right, they certainly could. And whether it is fortunate or unfortunate, the kingdoms of fire, earth, air, and water, were right in stating that Shiva's last descendant had been blessed to be more than she should, carrying abnormal amount of energy that had both been a miracle, and the cause of demise, for her people. Her ice contained this abnormal energy, Dust, and had carried the other elements. As you know now, there are many elements to Dust, and because of this, her ice's weakness to fire had been nulled as a result."

Ruby lets slip, "Oh..." before an idea clicks.

"So her ice power had foundations that consisted of the other elements," Ruby muses aloud, Ozpin nodding approvingly in response to her swift observation.

Yang hums out of understanding.

"So she's basically an overpowered princess." Yang comments snarkily, "No wonder the whole place hasn't melted." She earns herself a slap on the shoulder as Ruby returns her attention to the professor, reprimanding her older sister for the lack of manners in front of the guide.

Ozpin shrugs noncommittally, before gazing up at the princess once more.

"It takes a lot of energy to consume that much Dust and produce a single element like ice to have every element as its basis, along with nullifications, so I wouldn't go so far as to say she can easily call upon it. Perhaps that is another reason as to why she chose to stay on her throne." He rests his mug above his cane, holding it steadily. "Because she couldn't have lived to fend off the rest of the other kingdoms in her state."

Ruby merely nods enthusiastically in agreement, almost feeling tearful at the whole story as the professor clears his throat. Just when she thought it to be over, he officially ends it with a strong finish, and Ruby is left feeling overwhelmed that it makes her eyes a little wet.

"So she sung herself to sleep." Ozpin taps the floor lightly with his cane, as if to wake those who aren't listening. "And rumour has it, that to this day, you could potentially hear her sing amidst the coldest of nights."

Before Ruby gets a chance to suggest staying over for the night - because the professor has a nagging feeling that she would want to do just that - Ozpin cuts in swiftly with a ghost of a smile.

"But that's enough chitchat for one day." The corner of his lips curve upwards at Ruby's eyes still glowing for more despite visibly deflating, her shoulders slumping. "Let's head back before the temperature drops even further at night."

"Amen," Yang mutters beneath her breath, earning another slap on the arm by Ruby as they head towards the entrance.

Ruby's gaze lingers with newfound appreciation for the large pillars spread about in the main sanctuary, their gleam giving off an almost sad tone as she makes her way outside.

"What was her name?" Ruby asks gently, as she gives the throne one last look, the figure sitting frozen upon it.

"White Snow," Ozpin replies wittily, receiving only a confused but pleasantly surprised smile from Ruby. He understands how every little detail can further delight the younger girl as he explains coolly. "That's the meaning of Weiss Schnee."

* * *

How unpleasant.

As if the blizzard outside isn't bad enough, the floors are also slippery as hell, as far as she can tell. So are the walls, the doors, and even the windows, if Blake isn't careful enough. Her black cloak staves off little of the freezing air as she drops down from one of the supporting pillars near the window, landing with a little more effort because of the lack of traction with her boots.

Her partner, Adam, moves forward towards the base of the staircase, eyeing almost hungrily behind his rune-like mask, at the crown above the frozen princess' head.

Before he gets to take the first step up the set of stairs, Blake warns him of his carelessness.

"It's never that simple."

She scans the rest of the main hall with critical eyes, taking note of silver wires clearly foreign to the rest of the palace weaving in between the icy walls. They're glowing with a variety of different colours - blue, red, green - all connected to the frozen figure atop the throne.

_Dust, _she thinks scathingly.

The glow is the only light inside the White Palace, providing just enough for Blake to scrutinize the room and plan how to inflict the least amount of damage.

Just as she was about to release her ribbon tied gun-blade, Blake hears a voice.

_"... Mirror..."_ Blake instinctively looks for the source, trying to pinpoint exactly where it's coming from. _"Tell me something..."_

From the way Adam shifts to his stance, she isn't the only one feeling a sense of foreboding as the hollow voice continues to gently echo around the room, the tone darkly haunting.

_"... Tell me who's the loneliest, of all..."_

Blake dares herself to wait, because perhaps it's just a lingering voice from a legend years ago, with its singing being what's left of a past best forgotten. When she hears the voice repeat the verse, Blake is reassured that there's nothing else to it.

_"... Mirror..."_

It's just a voice.

_"... Tell me something..."_

It's nothing.

Regardless, she can't help but still move quickly.

She whips out her gun-blade chain and spins it beside her, providing momentum for the weapon as well as increasing its speed in case there was any sort of odd backup plan the city has for a missing crown.

_"... Tell me who's the loneliest, of all..."_

Blake lets her weapon spin one last time before throwing it quick and hard towards the throne, knocking the crown off by slicing the wires that's attached and sending it toppling to the icy floor with a resounding clang.

The wires left dangling against the crown begins to bleed Dust as it spills across the ground, the energy brightly glowing with colours. Adam picks it up almost carelessly as Blake sheathes her weapon, the woman still clearly roused by the voice.

"Come on," Adam grunts lowly, "We're done here,"

Blake shifts the dark cloak closer around herself as she eyes the throne, pausing briefly as if to see if anything would happen. Within herself she can feel something dark emanate as her gaze lingers on the figure. She ignores the eerie, clawing feeling of the beast inside, and looks away, ridding herself of such animosity.

When nothing else happens, Blake bids the world of their energy source and hopes that mankind can finally be free of the crown's so called prophecy.

They're finally free.

* * *

The glow of Dust that has been left to wither on the floor of the inner sanctuary dwindles as the night grows colder.

_"... Mirror, mirror..."_ Her voice has become quieter, weakly resonating against the frozen walls of the palace. _"... What's behind you...?"_

The ice that shields her begins to crack, the pieces dropping unceremoniously around her throne. The blizzard is relentless, as if it knows. Her fingers twitch beneath the fractured ice, breaking further as she moves ever so slightly.

_"... Save me from the things I see..."_

Her brows furrow beneath the frozen shield, the remaining pieces falling down the flight of stairs, the clunks resounding deafeningly under the silence of the White Palace.

The Dust stops glowing.

_"... I can keep it from the world,"_

Her lips twitch as she processes the memory of how to function, her brows furrowing further of recalling every single horror that had happened. The dryness of her throat is almost insufferable. She swallows in hopes that it'll moisten it before testing with a low, cold whisper. Her voice no longer haunts the White Palace.

Weiss Schnee opens her eyes.

"... Why won't you let me hide from me...?"

* * *

**A/N: **

I apologize for the large long word barf of explanation after explanation, at the start to middle, of the story. Hopefully it wasn't too painful reading through.

So clearly, this is AU (Alternate Universe), not canon. And I totally did it on purpose.

I switched some facts around, such as, "City of Beacon" rather than Beacon being a school, or the source of Dust being Weiss' crown/Weiss herself (although we haven't actually established where Dust comes from yet - or I just haven't been paying attention to the show at all).

Now, regarding the Gods. Yes, I totally stole them from Final Fantasy, but hey, they're all I know. I'd like to keep the added contents close to video games/anime-esque items as possible, since_ I_ think, they give off a more, _relatable_ feeling, than let's say, Greek Gods for RWBY.

Updates will vary, especially due to the contents of RWBY episodes and how I'm going to twist some facts around. I guess I should also say, the characters may not exactly reflect what canon will be showing (like Weiss...). But I'll try to make it as close as possible.

Criticism and reviews are welcome.


	2. Red Pillars

It's dark. _So,_ so dark.

But Weiss is accustomed to the darkness - have been for so long. It's probably why her eyes easily flutter open, able to see the outlines of surfaces that cover the room. She lets them continue to adjust, allowing the faint contours of the interior design process through the retinas. Weiss recognizes the frozen structures and frosted walls as the White Palace.

She's at home.

Her fingers begin to move next, allowing her slim digits to recover from such a long slumber, letting the blood in her veins course through them like flood gates. The warming sensation it brings to her hands give her relief knowing that this isn't just another dream. She's been dreaming of waking up for so long, that when she finally does, it occurs to her that she has no purpose.

What is she to do now?

Weiss' hands rest at the ends of her throne's arms, her fingers tracing lightly against the cold surface of ice. She's exactly where she was before. How long has she been like this?

She attempts to stand, but her legs sag beneath her and she crumbles, leaning against the chair's arm for support. Weiss grunts, clenching her teeth at how weak she's suddenly become.

She tries again, keeping one hand firmly on the arm as her legs wobble to support her weight. It only proves to Weiss that she had been asleep for far too long. Walking was basically automatic, let alone standing, but here she was, struggling to stand on her own. How pathetic.

_Move it. _

Weiss can feel the blood slowly trickle back to cycle through her legs and feet, her muscles slowly beginning to relax. The gears in her limbs are starting to finally work after having rusted over time.

When she manages to at least support herself in standing on her own two feet, she grasps Myrtenaster from the side of her throne, her touch disintegrating the shield of ice that surrounds her weapon into crystallized powder. It relieves her heart that her sword has remained the same and by her side the whole time she had been asleep. Whatever she faces outside her palace walls, at least she knows that something hasn't changed.

Slowly, Weiss walks down the set of stairs, carefully placing each step so as to not fall from such a steep height, her Myrtenaster firm by her side, tight within her grip. Once she reaches the base, Weiss heads for the first closest pillar.

_... That's right,_

Dark haunting grief embedded within her heart that had accumulated as a result of her people's demise long ago, begins to seep back into her memory. Gradually, red rage slowly consumes her. The grief moves to the farthest back of her mind, allowing anger to cloud her judgement.

So Weiss makes them spill crimson.

It had been fast, her arm. A portion of the pillar has broken, her sword wedging deep to feel flesh dig at her tip.

_... I haven't returned the favour._

Myrtenaster is drowned in red, the blade letting crimson drip from its tip as she moves to the next pillar. Weiss doesn't spare the pierced column a second glance as scarlet begins to spread across the inside, staining what was once a portion of clear, crystal structure.

The descendant of Bahamut certainly deserves it for having planned the whole thing. Of course, the rest will undoubtedly receive the same quick peaceful treatment for taking part in her people's destruction.

Her White Palace needs some colour, anyway.

* * *

"Wasn't it fantastic?!" Ruby practically shrills as they head for the Sanctum Inn, which was thankfully, not too far off from the White Palace. "Wasn't it?! Wasn't it?! Wasn't it FANTASTIC?!"

"Sis," Yang raises a hand, hopefully to have some control over the giddy girl. "Sis, calm down. You said that for like, the _billionth_ time already." Yang chides lightly, chuckling inwardly as Ruby continues to giggle and fangirl over the thought of the trip they just had. "It's just like any other book you've already read, just - y'know, in real life this time."

"EXACTLY!" Ruby screams, clearly unperturbed of the daggers being thrown from the rest of the glaring tourist group.

Yang merely sighs in defeat as they venture into the revolving golden doors, finally relieving herself of her jacket and gloves as warmth touches her skin. She's just glad to be back in a building with a heater and a temperature _not_ below zero.

"Do you think she'll ever wake up?" Ruby inquires curiously as they step into the elevator, "I mean, she can't possibly stay asleep forever, right?"

Yang wonders how in the world she was able to get through Ruby's overly inquisitive nature. She figures it's because of Ruby's cute face that lets the younger girl get away with a lot of things. Lucky girl.

"Well, if she's been asleep for a thousand years, forever doesn't sound impossible."

Ruby visibly deflates at the logic, knowing she can't disapprove her point. She remains hopeful however, as she glances back up at Yang and trudges on, the spark of adventure burning at her eyes.

"But fairy tales always have a happy ending. Maybe waking up will be hers?"

Yang allows the laughter lines to caress her lips, grinning widely as she rubs Ruby's head gently.

"If sleeping wasn't already her happy ending, then sure."

* * *

She drives her Myrtenaster one last time through the final pillar, the others before it already a colour of red.

Weiss twists the sword just for good measure, to feel the descendant of Ifrit's flesh scratch against her rapier before pulling it back, shards of crimson ice dropping to the floor as a result.

The overwhelming anger she had felt from the first two columns she pierced have considerably dwindled. Weiss can't bring herself to feel for them, even if they were once her friends.

She's left numb, the grief having once been hidden away now gone, having used these pillars as a mourning tool for her people. Weiss continues to stare at the canvas of red within the frozen pillar, hoping that maybe she can still feel regret. But there is nothing.

Seeing her reflection behind all of the crimson, Weiss realizes her crown is missing. The only keepsake her people had left for her when they still treasured her as their sovereign.

Weiss narrows her eyes as she sheathes her bloodied sword, the tip still dropping beads of red as she walks to the entrance of the palace. The blizzard she meets outside is nothing to her, being Shiva's descendant; she was blessed for having a natural resistance to the frost. Weiss lets her body take over, leading her wherever it shall go.

Because she'd rather allow the thought of her crown drive her limbs than the feeling of emptiness that's gradually consuming her.

* * *

"Blake," he calls out, flipping a page of a novel he couldn't care less about. _Whatever,_ he thinks, turning another page.

Adam glances at her after receiving no response from the abnormally _too _quiet woman and partner in crime for some time. She's currently fixated on analyzing the crown, turning it over and inspecting it thoroughly with careful eyes from where she sits at the window sill.

They're back at their hideout, hoping to catch the next train back into Beacon city in a couple of hours after packing what little supplies they brought with them. The heist wasn't at all difficult, which irritated him because who in their right mind does not provide any sort of security for the source of all Dust?

Was the city really as naive as he thought? Did the people really think that just because the crown prophesied that all would remain right in the world, that it would actually stay that way?

Ridiculous.

"Blake." He restates sternly, the woman merely giving him a brief sideward glance as acknowledgement before returning to the crown. "You're worried."

Adam couldn't miss the way her lips are curved downward ever so slightly, how her brows are narrowed moreso than usual, and how her posture remains stiff, as if unable to accept something that she had discovered.

She doesn't respond to him, turning the crown over once again and visibly continues to look it over. But he knows. And so does she.

"About what?" Adam probes, seeing no reason for her to be. "The city will have to get used to not using Dust as an energy source, like they did 10 years ago. It hasn't been that long either, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"It isn't," she mutters, weaving a hand over a strand of dark hair to push over her shoulder. "... What if the princess wakes up?"

"Then we kill her."

"It's never that simple." She reiterates again, eyeing the way Adam scoffs as he runs a hand through his fire-red hair.

"It certainly was with the crown,"

"Doubtful," Blake counters, a gnawing feeling beginning to well within her chest.

The fact that no security had been placed to protect the White Palace, especially the throne or its crown, only gives Blake more reason to worry. Why leave the only source of Dust energy unprotected? Were the people expecting something to happen?

As if the low growls of the beast within her foreshadowed danger, Blake hops down from the window and throws the crown to Adam, picking her shoulder bag off from the desk on the way to the door.

"We're leaving."

* * *

It's bright.

Weiss winces at the amount of light that's hitting her eyes, stepping closer to a large, foreign building with a design too odd for her time. There's so many windows, so many people, and so many lights, that it makes Weiss consider the darkness sleep had brought her much more preferable than blinding brightness.

She looks up to see words inscribed in large letters that she vaguely recognizes on a board of the building.

_... Sanctum Station, _she muses to herself, her literary skills thankfully not forgotten.

Weiss doesn't miss the sound of a deep whistle, and then rumbling, like train tracks, as she walks closer. It's a train station. She remembers trains being relatively new back in her time, although she rode it often because of her status. It was the fastest way to get around kingdoms. At least there's something else familiar in this world, too.

Before she enters, she spots a stand beside the doors. Unable to figure out why the sudden instinctive interest, Weiss heads for it, unsure of how to react when she sees her White Palace on the front page cover of some pamphlet. Observing first whether it is free to take, she pulls one over when a passerby casually grabs one, turning the page to her former kingdom.

_'The White Palace holds the former princess of Shiva, now the source of all Dust, with her crown acting as mediator for the world'. _Weiss reads inwardly, unsure of what this so called 'Dust' is. Had she been some sort of reservoir to these people when asleep?

Her brows crinkle at the thought.

If so, then she's currently a walking treasured object.

Hoping that maybe it will buy her some time around this world, she lets loose the knot on her hair, allowing the strands of white and silver fall over her shoulders, cascading loosely on her back. It was better being prepared for danger, than assuming there'd be none.

Weiss flips to another page, hoping some answers would be provided, spotting her crown as some sort of ad. When she reads further down the line, the former princess can't wrap her head around it.

_'Through the crown, have your future be read and your destiny be clear, and let your life's journey be smooth from here'. _It states, clearly some sort of hook line to garner interest. But still...

... What?

Before the information manages to sink in through her still hazy mind, Weiss senses a potential threat when the energy of Bahamut sparks a light within her small necklace. The almost blackish colour of light flares even brighter as she enters the building, placing the pamphlet in her pouch that's tied to her waist.

Weiss can feel the descendant of air somewhere close by, as people continue to shuffle about around the station. The crowds make it difficult to pinpoint where it is, making Weiss walk blindly to see if it is friend or foe.

She hopes this descendant is nothing compared to the previous individual currently bleeding out inside one of her pillars of the palace.

* * *

Pain.

Blake stumbles, her chest beginning to burn as she reaches out for some sort of leverage.

A hissing groan escapes her clenched teeth, her throat closing up due to the sudden heat crawling in.

She doesn't understand the sudden clawing feeling rising within herself again. It's stronger now, the beast scratching and scathing her insides that Blake has to lean against a wall for support.

She hisses at the pain of it wracking her bones, clenching her teeth and practically growls beneath her breath. The beast wants something. Her sudden hunger for flesh and blood is shrouding her judgement, her senses tingling at being heightened to its fullest as the beast rages against her.

Blake can hear every single minute detail of sound, and it's painful -_ so, _so painful - that she covers her ears in vain of the audio plaque barraging her brain.

The beast can feel an enemy approach.

Blake glances up in hopes to rid the pounding against her skull. She breathes through her nose and out through her mouth, in an attempt to relax her suddenly tensed form. It had worked before, so it should work again.

But as she begins to steady herself against the wall, her back feeling the coolness of the concrete seep through her warm skin, Blake's eyes dart frantically when her chest burns and the beast growls hungrily.

From the corner of her eye, she spots a woman in white.

* * *

**A\N: **

I think I had forgotten to mention that this was going to be slightly darker than canon. Oh whales. Now you know.

I hope you can excuse the lack of canon within Weiss; I just can't bring myself to write her as loud as she's currently portrayed to be because this is supposed to be darker. I should also mention, that yes, you've read it right; Blake is a descendant of Bahamut/Air.

Thank you so much for all those who've reviewed, faved, and followed; it means a lot to me (no, really - it does) because this is completely AU, and when I hear people appreciate and enjoy the original spin I've got going, it really pulls the strings in my heart.

Lastly, updates/chapters will consist of words between 1,000 and 3,000. I can't bring myself to write below 1,000 because that's pushing it to a drabble, and I can't go more than 3,000 because then updates will take a little longer.

So, what'd you think of this chapter?

Comments, reviews, and criticisms, are all appreciated.

_Edited: Inserted capitalization to Myrtenaster. Thank you to a fellow reviewer for pointing it out. _


	3. Black Being

"You're still up?"

"Of course! After today, I can't bring myself to sleep just yet." Despite what she had just said, Ruby yawns.

Yang merely rolls her eyes before tucking herself into one of the beds, pulling the blanket up over her head and snuggles into the warmth. She becomes a large lump of cotton and polyester as she muses beneath her fortress of heat,

"Just don't stay up too late,"

"I won't," Ruby yawns again, earning her a quiet chuckle from the blanket-encased Yang.

With that out of the way, the older woman allows the curtain to draw over her eyes, the sound of Ruby clicking through channels on the small TV lulling her to sleep.

* * *

Breathe in. Breathe out.

_Relax, _she tells herself, pushing against the wall to stave off the tremor in her legs.

Blake struggles to remain steady, her eyes closing shut when her throat begins to burn. Maybe it will help relax the consuming rage inside her.

A fist clenches her shirt, where her heart lies beating, as the pounding of the beast continues to wrack at her skull.

Blake stumbles as she turns a corner, away from all the people - all the noise. Her ears feel like bursting, the sounds of mere chatter processing through as if it were blasting from loud speakers.

She needs to get out of here. Now.

Her brows remain furrowed as she opens her eyes, her heightened sight blinking blearily past all the suddenly bright lights that merely illuminate Sanctum Station. Pupils remain constricted beneath the brightness as Blake struggles to search her surroundings. Her vision is terrible, forming multiple shadowed images of what she sees as she scans the area.

The woman in white appears in her peripheral again, this time coming even closer, as she hobbles to stay away. The beast refuses to relent within her, practically scratching and clawing and leaving scorching marks as she staggers to distance herself. The animal is getting fiercely agitated.

Blake recognizes the lack of certainty within the woman in white. She doesn't seem to know where she's going, evident by how she continues to twist her head unsurely, as if searching.

_... Just get moving, _Blake reprimands herself inwardly, gritting her teeth as a burst of pain shoots up her head.

Whatever she's doing, the closer the woman is getting, the angrier the beast is becoming.

She needs to leave.

Blake moans when another surge of pain pounds at her skull, her fingers digging hard against her scalp. Her other hand traces against the surface of the wall, leaving sharp marks of her nails as she claws to remain standing. She nearly trips over a fallen magazine laying haphazardly on the floor as she moves away, avoiding the woman in white by blending in with an oncoming crowd in hopes that distance will quell this horrible feeling.

Adam had left first at Blake's stern solid insistence. He agreed to take the second last train to Beacon city because he wanted to secure the crown safely within their main base and she wanted to leave with some distance between them in case there were followers. She should have just left with him, instead.

Blake raises her head momentarily when she hears a whistle of a train coming.

She grunts through gritted teeth and moves slowly towards the line of people waiting to get on board. Looking back to take note of their distance, Blake is thankful there's so many people still within the station. The woman in white is currently struggling around the crowd, getting further and further away from her, easing some of the tension in the beast.

She refuses to let the monster take control; refuses to be anything else but human.

_"All passengers heading for Beacon City, please remain behind the yellow line; the train will arrive shortly. I repeat..."_

* * *

How odd. It's disappearing.

Bahamut's light.

Weiss pauses to check on her necklace, tapping it gently to see if it'll change anything. The colour is fading, telling her that she isn't getting any closer to it. Perhaps it doesn't want to be found?

A screeching whistle drums through her ears. Weiss twists around to see beams of light appear from a dark tunnel. Just as she was about to move towards the larger crowd surrounding the docking station, her ears perk at the sound of something behind her.

"Hey, aren't you..?"

Weiss reacts as soon as she feels a hand on her shoulder.

She grabs its wrist, twists her body around to face them as she uses their arm for momentum, before she pulls. The heel of her foot slams down against the person's toes before lifting it to kick the shin. Weiss flips them over, circling their wrist to make one revolution over her hand before their back slams to the ground. She's thankful those self-defense classes provided by her father have not gone to waste.

"Ow - ow ow ow ow ow!" A blond man yelps, gripping his wrist in hopes of easing the incredible amount of pain as well as the shade of purple his skin begins to make.

Weiss remains undeterred despite the boy's obvious dilemma. Her head snaps up once a crowd begins to circle around them, the man continuing to moan. Their supposed whispers still reach her ears as Weiss tries to discern what so many strangers are saying at once.

_"Doesn't she look like that frozen princess?"_

_"That can't be right,"_

_"But look at her! Doesn't she have that same scratch on her face?"_

_"Now that you mention it..." _

Weiss' eyes widen at the complications this could bring if she were found out now.

Another whistle resounds within the station, a train slowly coming into view. Weiss can feel her necklace burn against her collar bone, the stone turning completely black; Bahamut is still here.

Without a second thought, she pushes past the wall of chatter, drowning out the noise of various indignant grunts and curses thrown her way, as she hurries to the diminishing line of people entering the train. Weiss clenches her teeth at how fast she had almost been compromised. She isn't about to leave without gaining any sort of achievement. Perhaps this time she'll at least find the descendant.

Weiss stops when she hears a choked cough from her left. She spots a woman in black dropping to her knees, her hand weakly dragging against the wall of the building. Weiss doesn't think twice and runs, approaching her quickly when the woman's form begins to shake dangerously.

She kneels down to her level and reaches out, noting how this woman's breathing has turned into wheezing gasps for air. The woman's shoulders visibly move, evidently indicating the lack of oxygen she has within her lungs.

Weiss grasps the woman's quaking shoulder gently, hoping to ease whatever it is that troubles her. She lets her lips move, genuine concern lining her voice, before darkness overcomes her sight and she is sent backwards.

Her left arm is scorchingly warm. It burns.

* * *

"... Are you alright?"

Blake flinches, suddenly aware of the hand on her right shoulder. How long..?

_... It's cold,_

Blake turns her head to meet strands of white hair and clear sapphire eyes.

_... Her hand is cold._

"Allow me to aid you,"

_Her voice..._

"Miss,"

_... It's that voice,_

"Miss, can you hear me?"

_Within the White Palace._

Blake's eyes widen at the realization as the woman in white bends lower, levelling her eyes with her as she kneads her fingers softly against her aching shoulder.

_"Don't -"_ she glares at the woman from curtains of dark hair, her words unable to slip from her quivering lips. Her mind practically growls. _"- Don't touch me,"_

When the formerly frozen princess calls out to her once more, the beast howls in fury.

As if on instinct, Blake's arm lashes out, a whip of some black, writhing, shapeless _thing, _that covers her whole limb, sends the woman flying; crashing through the train and to the other side of the tracks, her figure burrowed against the opposite wall of Sanctum Station.

The beast continues to roar, desperate for more pain to inflict as Blake watches nearby strangers scream and shriek from panic amongst the chaos of broken debris and metallic parts of the train.

Before it gets any worse than this, Blake moves in the opposite direction, limping her way out of the station amidst the rush of fear-stricken crowds. She needs to move away from the princess as far and as quickly as possible if she were to stave off the beast from overriding her being again.

Cold air breezes against her warm face as she pushes past the large doors, blending in with various others hurriedly leaving the building. The blizzard has finally relented, leaving in its wake a freezing chill. Blake aims for her hideout within Sanctum city, clutching a hand against her chest to somehow ease a dark, hollowing feeling.

She only manages to travel so far before a ragged, dry cough escapes her chapped lips, a sign that the beast's slow descent towards her heart begins once more.

Blake looks back and sees a flurry of white.

* * *

Weiss feels pain.

Her body twitches, a sign that she hasn't ceased to function. Weiss attempts to move, but her back is sore and her left arm is _burning. _Her eyes struggle to open amidst the ringing sounds of screams and pain wracking at her head.

Through half-lidded pools of blue, Weiss sees the wreckage; the damage that the station sustained from where she lies, wedged against a wall.

Smoke begins to cloud her sight, sparks of ember and electricity spouting from the remaining portion barely attached to the head of the train.

Weiss grunts as she moves again, her left arm struggling to comply with her desire to reach for Myrtenaster. She eyes the large gash across her pale skin, blood oozing and dripping precariously down to her dress. Parts of her sleeve is burnt into her skin, so to relieve herself of anymore permanent damage and potential infections, she rips the stained material from her shoulder; hissing as part of her skin peels with the sleeve. She drops it amidst the rubble below her and focuses on a rising problem.

Weiss reaches once again for Myrtenaster, using her right arm this time to cradle the rapier between shaky fingers. She sees the initial signs of a combustion reaction begin before her, fire gradually blocking her view of the people exiting the station. With quick precision, she forms a magic ring behind her back, the incantation still clear within her memory, her hands performing the ritual instinctively.

Weiss lets Myrtenaster turn green as the train goes up in flames. Her legs twitch as her muscles tense, waiting.

_... Now!_

With a grunt, she makes the circle glowing behind her propel her forward, as fast as a bullet, once the wreckage combusts, slicing her Myrtenaster across the ball of fire horizontally to temporarily avoid the flame. Weiss curls her legs beneath her as she ducks to fit the narrow space of harmless air before tumbling harshly to the ground near the entrance of the now empty station, the tremor in her legs keeping her from standing steadily.

Weiss moves her Myrtenaster back into her preferred hand, her red-soaked left arm struggling to carry its light weight.

She lets herself stand there for a few moments, allowing her limbs to shake off the fear that had been instilled into them from the near-death experience. It had been too close for comfort.

Weiss looks back over her shoulder at the large fire licking away at the rest of the building.

She considers putting the flame out with ice, but when her necklace glows again with darkness, the pendant turning completely black as she steps outside into the cold, Weiss realizes she has something more important to attend to.

_... I see you, _she thinks as she watches the woman in black trudging slowly in the distance.

With newfound resolve, she follows her, her grip on Myrtenaster tightening.

The closer she gets, the more the woman looks ill. Her back grows more hunched and her coughs grow louder. Weiss takes note of the woman's deteriorating state the shorter their distance becomes. Her necklace begins to burn against her skin again, the colour pitch black.

Bahamut's aura is reacting to her. Her brows narrow, eyes hardening at the realization.

Weiss lifts Myrtenaster and strikes.

* * *

Blake releases Gambol Shroud, parrying just in time from the princess' assault.

A tinge of red slips from the corner of her mouth, the darkness rising quickly inside her, as she shoves the rapier and its owner back a few metres away. The woman in white lands with ease atop a ring of magic that suddenly marks the snow on the ground.

Blake wipes away the crimson from her lips with the back of her free hand and sets Gambol Shroud towards her enemy. She merely tightens her hold on her cleaver when the woman in white speaks.

"Let it take over,"

Her brows furrow at the ambiguity of the woman's words. The white woman's lips move again.

"Let the aura of Bahamut take you over."

Blake's eyes widen and without a second thought, it's her that closes the remaining distance between them, her speed rivalling an arrow as she slashes blindly at the woman. She ignores whatever else the woman in white has to say, her voice getting drowned by the growls of the beast inside.

Their proximity makes Blake's windpipe shut, the heat within her scorching as it rises to her head, the beast howling for control. Whips of black formless _things _escape from her figure, small portions of it flickering in the air around her.

The rapier is quick to block her, its thin steel maneuvering easily around Gambol Shroud despite the darkness slowly beginning to consume the weapon as well, as it redirects her attack, its user coming in and striking her with a palm of another circle magic against her chest. It makes Blake gasp for air, her throat finally opening and the beast crawling back in almost immediately as she flies, her back scathing across the snow-covered ground.

"The dark aura of Bahamut is now bound by my own," Blake hears the woman say as she struggles to get up, "it shouldn't hurt any more than it should." The woman begins her stride towards her, "So turn. It should be easier," she tells her as Blake gets to her feet, unsheathing the katana hidden inside and steadies both weapons in her shaking hands.

Anger begins to well up at how tenacious this woman is, the darkness slowly starting to cover her hands and Gambol Shroud again. But unlike before, the beast is silent. Licks of black thick liquid forms around her arms, gradually consuming them whole as she tries to ease the anger that's fuelling its growth.

Despite the quietness of the beast, it's now fully in control.

Blake hisses amidst the darkness pooling beneath her.

"I won't_–_" the woman in white pauses in her trek, "_–_ I won't turn again," her fingers claw at the grips of Gambol Shroud, her nails leaving indents along the handle. "I don't want to turn again."

_... I will not turn again._

But the beast refuses to listen.

* * *

Weiss takes note of her quiet plea, though makes no comment.

She pulls Myrtenaster back near the side of her face, makes the blade colour red, as her legs bend in position for another strike. She narrows her eyes and watches the darkness grip and twist around the woman's legs, her blazing amber eyes brimming with quiet strength.

_I will save you from Bahamut's hold, _Weiss silently promises, having already dealt with a previous descendant who suffered the same fate, and was saved. Though it's unfortunate that he now bleeds within her castle for his betrayal.

"... You monster," the woman in black huffs, the dark liquid covering already half of her tired face.

Weiss merely narrows her eyes as she waits for Bahamut, the remark slightly stinging at the thought of how she had left her people to die. She should have known better.

"Perhaps I am. But so are you,"

The woman merely chuckles, her laughter dry, as she is consumed completely in black, the beast beginning to awaken. Weiss wastes no time as she dashes quickly with one quick thrust of Myrtenaster towards the darkness.

But then a cloak of red hides her enemy and a scythe stops her blade.

Myrtenaster releases a wind of flames, making the intruder flip back. Weiss raises her sword as the new stranger - practically a_ child_ - fiddles with her cloak in panic. _  
_

"You burned my cape!" She yelps, her short black-rimmed-red hair bopping up and down as she scrutinizes the rest of the useless material.

Weiss merely stares at the minute dark spots at the ends of her cloak. To think this child had just gotten in the way of her attack on the beast_–_

_"– GgRraA__AaaaaaahhHhHhhH!"_

"Oops," the girl in red sends her a sheepish smile as she hops to stand beside her, "I guess I shouldn't have protected that thing, huh."

Weiss refuses to let anger seep through her voice.

"Yes," she raises Myrtenaster again, shifting it to blue as she gives the girl a chiding look. Weiss hopes exhaustion isn't clear on her face as her arm continues to drop crimson across the snow. "You really shouldn't have."

* * *

**A/N**

Yep. Ruby finally gets in on the Grey action. And Yang? She's sleeping the cold off. Why would she bother going out when she's snuggled up in her bed? Though on a serious note, next chapter will explain how Ruby managed to get herself involved in the chaos.

As a result of Episode 6 of RWBY, with the introduction of Auras, I chose to twist it up again and made it a remnant - a piece, of the Gods. So it's sort of the same concept, though it's more the God's aura than the person's (hopefully you get what I mean). This will of course, be explained further in the future, as well as its functions and what nots.

So have patience, readers. All in due time.

Thank you again for your various support. Critiques, comments, and reviews, are all welcomed.


	4. Yellow Flare

"Hm..."

Ruby continues to flicker through various channels, her thumb pressing against the button automatically as if it were akin to breathing. Despite having a rather neutral sense of taste when it comes to TV shows, she can't seem to find anything remotely interesting. Programs like cooking shows, cartoons, or reality TV, never really pulled her in.

As boring as it may have sounded, Ruby actually preferred the weather channel. It gave her useful details, like the forecast for the current day, and the latest news that circulated their city. Once she settles the remote down beside her on the carpet floor, Ruby leaning back against the end of her bed, she closes her eyes and listens to the sound of music pouring in from the tiny screen. It was what made the weather channel her favourite.

Before she knew it, she begins to nod off, her eyes starting to droop as she struggles to keep her head from dropping any further to her chest. Ruby's shoulders gradually begin to sag, her arms limping to her sides and her vision a mere blur.

She absently takes note of the soft rumbling that occurs within the building. _Probably just a small earthquake..._

... An earthquake?

Ruby almost passes it off as nothing until the soft sound of music gets cut off and is replaced by crackling noise. She practically jumps from where she sits, eyes blinking blearily past the haze of near-sleep when loud static replaces the screen.

She rubs away the exhaustion over her eyes with an arm and sees a reporter on television. Ruby notes how the woman's voice slightly crack whenever the camera shakes from the amount of people running around them. Where has she seen those stairs, before...

Ruby sits up from where she rests, crawling up to the TV and finally recognizes the familiar setting. Her and Yang were supposed to head home tomorrow...

_"We are reporting to you live from within Sanctum Station," _Ruby squints as the monitor crackles and the woman's voice is slightly drowned out, _"- has been no news regarding the whereabouts of the culprit. So far, the death toll is twenty-four people." _

Ruby spots a burning train just behind the reporter, where the firefighters seem to be struggling with putting the inferno out.

_"Police have yet to confirm the cause. As to whether- "_

She jumps, startled, when an explosion erupts from behind the news lady, the sound blaring through the television. Ruby can feel the room shake, the reaction nearby considering how the station is just a few blocks away.

Ruby wastes no time changing into a more appropriate attire, tightening the corset and tying her boots as she straps Crescent Rose behind her waist.

It's a wonder how Yang could still sleep through all the blatant ruckus she doesn't bother hiding as she trudges around for her ammo casing, throwing clothes here and there amidst the floor. She doesn't remember packing this many socks for the trip. _Ah, there it is. Why is Yang's bra on top of it?_

She considers waking her sister up, but remembering how much Yang hated the cold, Ruby thought better of it.

Ruby sneaks one last glance over her shoulder at her slumbering sister. Yang is snuggled comfortably between her bed and blanket, her pillow completely covered amidst long thick locks of blonde. A small smile leaves her lips.

"I won't be out too late," she whispers her promise, gently closing the door behind her.

* * *

Ruby doesn't know what to expect when she sees smoke out in the distance, various sirens going off on the streets where help was coming from.

She keeps herself hidden amidst the darkness the alleyways provide for her, waiting for the incoming firetruck heading her way. It's dark and the full moon is up, giving just enough light for Ruby to know when she needs to jump, releasing Crescent Rose and letting it go to scythe form.

As soon as the truck whizzes just beside her, Ruby makes a quick sweep of her weapon and latches onto the ladder perched on the roof of the vehicle.

It certainly was a lot faster hitching a ride than attempting to dash her way through to Sanctum Station, even if it was a few blocks away.

Ruby sheathes Crescent Rose and makes herself as comfortable as she could atop the ladder, blinking away the frost on her eyelashes from the cold air speeding past her face.

Despite the freezing temperature, Ruby enjoys the weather and scenery, the landscape full of white, a beauty she's sure she would continue to admire for years and years.

She almost gets carried away until she spots two women amidst the white landscape.

The sound of the blaring siren of the firetruck doesn't seem to deter the strangers in the slightest, and because Ruby instinctively feels like there's more to it than just a staring contest, she hops off from the truck and settles herself on a tree branch.

When she squints to somehow better her vision, Ruby believes the woman in white looks familiar to her. From where, Ruby can't quite recall, the answer seemingly just at the tip of her tongue.

But when she sees the woman in white draw her sword back for what looks like a powerful blow, Ruby acts on instinct. Police and firefighters can handle things like a burning train, she's sure, but certainly not things like this. So she lets herself in on the fun.

She hasn't realized that the reason for such animosity was because the woman in black was becoming a monster.

"Oops," Ruby can't help but feel shy, hopping beside the clearly quietly seething woman in white, "I guess I shouldn't have protected that thing, huh."

She really didn't know! _Really!_

"Yes," her tone is frighteningly cold, her gaze a mixture of frustration and emptiness. "You really shouldn't have."

Ruby momentarily pushes away the thought of why the woman looks so familiar, and hopes that maybe, just maybe, she'll be able to make up for her silly mistake. She hopes she'll let her. Ruby tightens her hold on Crescent Rose.

She isn't blind. Ruby can see how the woman is tired and bleeding. The blood that stains the woman had momentarily frightened her upon closer inspection.

She'll have to make this quick.

* * *

Weiss assesses her current situation, plugging in the newcomer in red into the equation.

Involving the innocent was never something she approved of, but considering how this _child_ had voluntarily gotten in the way of what was _supposed_ to be the finishing move to something that wasn't _supposed_ to still be standing, Weiss thinks it's rather appropriate to just take advantage of the kid as consolation.

"Leave it to me!"

It certainly helps when said child offers herself so willingly.

Weiss lets the stranger play bait as she casts more runes of magic beneath her feet. Her concentration gets cut when the girl in red almost recoils right into her.

The beast in all its black and deformed glory, jumps at the second it sees hesitation, before Weiss raises a barricade of ice to shield herself from such claws. A flash of red speeds past her, her momentum carried by the shots of her weapon, before she slashes across the monster with a scythe too big for her stature.

Weiss watches the girl in red flicker before her, appearing and disappearing in a haze of rose petals - where they come from, she has no clue - as she continues to hack and slash at the murky form of the beast._  
_

She would have acknowledged the girl's fighting prowess if it weren't for the fact that her style was rather barbaric in terms of offence and lacked the necessary partner in battle called defence. Weiss sees that the girl lacks common rationality on the battlefield.

Weiss interrupts the girl's crude slashing with a strike of ice when she spots the beast's tail attempt to sneak an attack from beneath.

"Woah!"

The girl narrowly avoids a claw from the side before jumping back and away from the wriggling tail that had nearly pierced her from below.

"Thanks for the -"

Weiss quickly spins the dial on Myrtenaster and intercepts another strike from Bahamut with fire before it reaches the girl's face.

The beast's howl practically rivals the girl's shrill cry.

"You nearly burned my _face_ off!"

Weiss doesn't bother to pretend like she cares, moving in towards the enemy instead to finish what she had started, the girl in red gaping from a distance to inspect the strands of hair still on her head.

"You know _what,_" Weiss' brow twitches in annoyance at the persistent presence of the girl appearing - _again -_ beside her, "that was _incredibly_ dangerous! What were you _thinking?!_"

Weiss snaps back as cold as her element as she dodges a slice from the beast.

"It certainly was _not_ about saving you, if it makes you feel any better."

"Knowing that wouldn't even make_ anyone_ feel any better!"

Weiss manages to roll her eyes despite parrying Bahamut's tail from stabbing into her.

"You need to set your priorities straight," the princess states, the girl in red narrowly missing a slice to the head by the beast's claw.

"My -" she jumps atop the monster's arm and recoils into its face with a swing of her scythe, "- my priorities _are_ straight! A burn to the face would have been _horrible!_"

_What a petulant child,_ Weiss thinks bitterly.

_"- RrRrrRraA__AaaaAAaAaAaHhhHhHhhH!"_

Weiss softens a hit to the side with a layer of ice she manages to grow beneath her clothes and over her skin. Her injured left arm skids painfully across the snowy floor, the bumpy walls of frosted cement cutting into the recently burned flesh.

She hears the girl's annoying voice amidst the ringing in her ears.

"Hey, you okay?!"

It takes longer than usual for her to get up, her vision blurring in and out as she gets to her feet. Must be because of that annoying child's voice...

"Don't worry, I'll finish it!" The girl yells out, attempting to be reassuring.

When her head finally stops spinning, Weiss quickly forms a circle under her and increases her speed, pulling Myrtenaster back just as the girl swings her large weapon. They both parry the incoming claws that come crashing down towards them, Weiss sliding beneath the monster to slash at its legs and tail, the girl in red assaulting its arms and torso.

The spray of black liquid gushes at every cut they make, the beast roaring in sheer pain as it stumbles backwards, into Weiss' glowing red rapier.

Weiss narrows her eyes despite the flames licking at the beast's black flesh. Something begins to move and protrude from the monster's back and Weiss has to jump back when black liquid shoots out as if to grab her.

The girl in red is standing clear from the monster several feet away as Bahamut continues to roar. Weiss watches how the black formless thing begins to structure itself into giant wings. Before she realizes its intention to escape, Bahamut is already in the air, drips of black leaving a trail in its wake.

Weiss is driven to go after it.

It's mere impulse that moves her limbs, moves her legs and makes her brain register the drips of black that stain the white snow. She manages to take several steps before the girl in red calls out to her.

"Hey!" Weiss attempts to ignore the girl entirely, continuing her motion to follow the trail. "We make a great team, don't we?"

Her frustration begins to rise when the girl pops up right in front of her.

"Don't think so much of it." Weiss sheathes her rapier, dusting herself off from excess snow that stains her torn dress. "You were just bait."

The girl actually manages to look horrified.

Weiss attempts to make up for her blunt honesty; though not entirely.

"At least you were good at it,"

She thinks it's all she has to say to get the girl to leave her alone before little red begins chirping all over again.

"The name's Ruby! Ruby Rose," the girl says confidently, jabbing a thumb to her chest for unnecessary emphasis.

Weiss ignores her blabbering introduction, sidestepping the girl and continuing her walk onwards. She has no time for such petty conversations.

She almost groans behind her indifference when the girl - Ruby - sidles up beside her again.

"You look _really _familiar, y'know?"

When Weiss bothers to actually look to her left to see the girl's analytical eyes, she doesn't miss how Ruby's expression shifts into surprise in an instant.

The awe-struck tone in her voice isn't difficult to notice.

"Wait, aren't you–?!"

Weiss doesn't wait for Ruby to finally connect the dots. The girl in red continues to sputter incoherent syllables as Weiss trudges onwards once again, quickening her pace.

"You're that frozen princess!" Ruby finally lets out something coherent amidst all the squealing and shrieks of glee she had spat out.

This girl is _loud._

She isn't quite sure whether it's a good or bad thing that this child knows her true identity.

"Come to my place so we can talk about how you woke up!"

Definitely a bad thing.

"No."

"Pleeeaaaaaase?"

Weiss ignores the sound of footsteps that continues to trail after her.

She almost lashes out when she feels Ruby's hand tentatively grasp at her elbow, the simple touch sending a burning sensation across her burnt skin. Weiss at least has enough self-control to just yank her arm back instead and dismisses the hurt look the girl momentarily displays before it disappears and is replaced with stern determination.

Small tinges of worry spills from Ruby's lips as she clasps her hands together in front of her, as if to make up for the implicit rejection Weiss had just given her.

"And you're hurt, so..." Weiss narrows her eyes and a snappy retort almost leaves her mouth - _'I'm fine on my own,' - _before Ruby intercepts as soon as the princess' lips begin to motion. "... what if it gets worse? I know you're tired and you're still bleeding-"

"I'm fine."

Ruby's face shifts from concern to frustration in seconds that Weiss has to remind herself that she was still a child.

"- and no one will be there to take care of you?"

"I. _S__aid,_" Weiss punctuates her words to prove her point, "I'm._ Fine._"

"Not for long,"

The princess narrows her eyes at how defiant the girl has become. To think she bothers to even _defy_ her. How ignorant.

"I _will_ actually burn you," she states through clenched teeth, "if you will _continue_ to get in my way."

"Then do it."

Weiss is on a mission for her lost crown. She has no direction, no resources, to use at her pleasure. She has no lead or map to tell her where she needs to go. Now a remnant of Bahamut is on the loose and she is to blame for it.

Weiss considers the pros and cons of dealing with such a child for an extended period of time, but seeing as how the only con was a headache whenever the girl's voice reaches a particular pitch, Weiss thinks she can handle it.

She'd be careless if she were to dismiss any sort of contact that can help her adjust and gather information in this timeline.

Deciding that this was a tactical choice for survival, Weiss relents.

* * *

"And this is where I'm staying at!"

Ruby watches how Weiss stares curiously at the large entrance, the revolving doors evidently catching most of her attention.

"How... does it exactly do that?"

Ruby shrugs. How would _she_ know?

They manage to make it through, though much longer than necessary since Weiss spent most of the time timing each rotation of the door and deducing calculations that Ruby could hardly stand all the fancy math lingo and basically pulled her by the wrist just to get in.

She was _cold!_

They finally make it to the lobby after Weiss' several failed attempts to exit the revolving does. It was either she didn't realize that she was _supposed_ to leave the doors once the opening to the lobby appeared, or that the princess was too fascinated with the door_ itself_ to even fathom leaving it without properly analyzing it first.

Ruby honestly doesn't know which.

Once they reach the elevators, Ruby notes the sudden discomfort placed on the princess' face. But before she gets to comment on it, Weiss opens the topic for her.

"It's warm,"

"Well," Ruby starts, letting one hand rub her elbow as they wait for her floor. "Considering how the blizzard was earlier, it's no wonder they increased the temperature."

Weiss doesn't say anything more despite the clear indication of pursed lips and furrowed brows.

* * *

When they walk down the hall heading for her temporary room, Ruby spots how Weiss is beginning to lag behind.

Though when she looks over her shoulder to check on the quiet princess, Ruby can't help but blink her eyes several times just to make sure she was seeing things.

She remembers Weiss' skin tone being a snowy pale. So why does it look like she got even paler than she already was? Her skin now was practically a sheet of white!

"Um," Ruby breaks the silence that currently haunts the two of them, "are you... feeling okay?"

Her voice comes out with slight hesitance at the stern expression Weiss has on her face.

The princess' voice is as rigid as her posture.

"I'm fine."

Ruby doesn't buy it, but it doesn't look like she can do anything more as she hovers near the door to her and her sister's room. Maybe the heat's getting to her.

It would certainly make sense, knowing how Weiss was the princess of ice. Maybe that's why Weiss seems almost fearful of the warmth, because the White Palace maintained a temperature below at least fifteen degrees. Perhaps having been frozen asleep in ice influenced her reception of heat, too.

Whatever it is, Ruby hopes the paling of Weiss' skin was just a normal thing.

"We're here," Ruby reminds Weiss, though feels doubtful of her choice in bringing her over when she sees how far away the princess is from the door. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Weiss' disgruntled response doesn't make the doubt stop growing in her head.

"I..." the woman in white pauses to swallow just to finish the rest of her sentence, "... I'm fine..."

The princess' shallow breathing doesn't go unnoticed.

Ruby's face shifts to worry and the tremor in her voice isn't hard to miss.

"I _knew_ things would get worse, so just stay where you are; I'll get the first aid kit." She reaches for the knob and twists, not yet opening the door. "Wait here, okay?"

Weiss' slight nod is enough to get Ruby moving.

When Ruby finally pushes the door open, Weiss is left screaming.

* * *

It burns.

It burns. It burns. It burns. It burns.

She's burning.

Weiss crunches from where she stands, hardly even close to the door. She made sure she was as far from it as possible, but to think she underestimated the enormous heat that she already felt from the lower floors—

"WEISS?!" She can barely hear Ruby's own panicked shrills amidst her screams and the fire eating away at her.

She was careless.

Her hands are already making the motions to counteract with the blaze, but even when she manages to finally cast a circle beneath her feet and she's submerged in a giant ice berg, she can feel her skin sizzling from the sudden drop in temperature, smoke erupting from red, _red, _skin.

It burns. It burns. It burns.

That's all that matters in her head right now. That it burns.

Weiss can only hear Ruby's muffled cries, unable to understand her words because of the many layers of ice she made sure to coat herself with. Her shield is too thick to hear or see through.

And to think she even lowered her own body temperature several degrees to rival ice itself...

She should have _known._ She should have been more _aware._ She should have been more _careful._

Weiss can feel the burns on her skin gradually turn numb, the scorching sensation finally dwindling. For now, as she shuts her eyes and curls into herself, allowing the ice to tend to her injuries - even for a little while - Weiss lets herself rest.

This was what excruciating pain felt like. She remembers it; it's been so long. Weiss doesn't miss it, the feeling.

... It hurts.

* * *

"WEISS?!"

Ruby doesn't understand how it had happened. She doesn't understand at all.

One minute, Weiss was merely a pale princess following her to her room, and then the next, she was literally a burning ball of flame.

"WEISS!"

Ruby continues to bang her fist against the ice berg, unable to see the other girl through the frozen water. The giant glacier was practically stuck in the middle of the hallway, slivers of ice creeping up the walls, ceiling, and floor from its source.

What just happened?

"What's with the giant ice pack, sis?"

Ruby yelps when Yang appears beside her, already inspecting the giant glacier with sleepy eyes.

"Yang! Help me break this thing,"

Ruby ushers the older woman closer to the frozen block, Yang still clearly half-asleep as she stumbles to the ice berg. Yang merely rubs at her eyes with the back of her hand before tentatively touching the glacier out of curiosity - though mostly just to balance herself.

Her eyes widen when her hand begins to melt the ice beneath her skin.

"Since when could you do _that?!_" Ruby yelps in surprise, though moves closer to her sister to inspect the melting ice.

"I... I don't know,"

"Well, whatever you're doing, _don't_ stop!"

Yang merely cocks an unsure glance towards Ruby.

She does as she's told, though not without a growing doubt, and leaves her hand over the frozen block. She even lifts her other hand to touch the ice and lets them both burn through the cold wall, taking tentative steps forward once the ice begins to sink in.

She realizes being close to the structure was enough to get it to melt through with just her body temperature.

"Do I just keep_ going,_ or...?" Yang asks warily.

"Yes! Keep doing what you're doing!" Ruby answers as soon as she finishes.

Yang wonders why she even bothered getting up from her warm, comfortable bed. Now she was left melting through an ice berg in the middle of a hotel's hallway as if she was some sort of hot pack, when she could just be getting her much needed beauty sleep, instead.

Her choices in life clearly still sucks.

Like winning this trip just to go to the coldest city in all of Vale and look at a frozen Palace with ice as its actual structure! She did _not _sign up for all this cold she's currently forced to go through!

And what the heck was Ruby still awake for at such an ungodly hour?!

Yang's mental rant pauses abruptly when she spots a woman in white curled into herself like a ball in the centre of the glacier.

"Err, I think I got something!"

Though she isn't sure if a woman was what she was supposed to be looking for.

"Hurry and get her out of there!" Ruby's panicked cries register quickly in Yang's now awakened state.

Feeling just as jumpy as her little sister from the worry that spills from Ruby's voice, Yang grasps at the sleeping woman's wrist and tugs. If it's to save a person, then she certainly needs to get herself together.

"Um," she lets out, doubt creeping into her bones as she calls for Ruby, the sight making her hesitate at what she's doing. "I think I'm burning her,"

"_What?!_"

Yang notes how her palm is making the white woman's wrist turn red. The skin is sizzling from her touch - and her hold wasn't even remotely tight! - smoke beginning to erupt from such a small contact.

"Do I still—"

"Just pull her out _fast!_"

Yang doesn't let Ruby repeat it twice, yanking as hard as she could to rip the unconscious woman from her frozen cocoon. The temperature within the glacier is suddenly getting colder than before and it makes Yang slightly worried. Wasn't she already melting it?

Her thoughts get interrupted when her arm goes deathly cold. The sudden drop in temperature makes her blood's movement go to a slow, the numbing sensation making her arm immobile, forcibly letting the woman go. Her fingers are _freezing._

She sees that her arm is engulfed in ice.

Yang flares at the sight. She _hates_ the cold.

* * *

**A/N**

Well. That was a thing. Definitely a lot longer than my previous three chapters. Hopefully the fight scene wasn't too awful to read. And yeah, some humour has been mixed in because well, I think it tends to follow Yang and Ruby around like a puppy. It's hard _not _to write some when either of those two are involved.

Yes. You've read it right. Weiss basically got burned. And I realized half-way through this chapter that I like to write about people almost/or are, getting burned. I mean, Ruby _nearly_ got burned - twice, Blake/Bahamut got burned on the back, and Weiss got legitimately burned twice. I think I finally realized what kind of person I am. So I tried to even it out and froze Yang's arm at the end. Oh whales.

To answer a fellow reviewer's question - which may, or may not, interest the rest of you - regarding whether there will be pairings in the story, the answer is no. I mean, all you readers have to do is put those Yaoi/Yuri/Hetero goggles on and voila; you've got pairings. I always found myself enjoying non-romantic stories more so than actual romance-based ones simply because I get to over exaggerate all the 'subtleness' and things like that. But yeah, there won't be any pairings. If there were, you'd need to be a ninja to catch it.

Like before, thank you once again for all the faves, follows, and reviews. Please do continue to spoil me with your endless expressions of internet love. It makes me feel fluffy inside.


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